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Qualifying for the Iditarod

Sarah · January 8, 2015 ·

Qualifying for the Iditarod

The Iditarod is a 1,000 mile long dog sled race run annually in Alaska by some of the top mushers in the world. The race tests the bond and endurance of the musher and their team of sled dogs. It’s an impressive event with many nuances. Learn more about it in our earlier post What Is the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. In order to participate for the event, new entrants, called rookies, first have to qualify for the race. In qualifying, mushers are proving that they know how to take care of both their dogs and themselves in Alaska’s winters and wilderness.

One of the most basic requirements is the age limit. In order to participate in Iditarod, a musher must be at least 18 years old and have qualified for the race by completing a series of mid-distance races.

According to Rule #1 of the Official Iditarod Rules:

he/she must complete two (2) 300 mile qualifiers and another approved qualifier for a total of 750 miles to be qualified. The completion requirements are that a musher must finish either within the top 75% of the field or in an elapsed time of no more than twice the time of the winner.; and he/she during such approved qualifying races demonstrated the necessary physical and mental aptitude and preparedness, as well as the necessary wilderness and mushing skills.

The Iditarod keeps an updated list that can be found on their website of which races count as qualifiers. Along with completing the race, racers must have specific paperwork filled out. These “report cards” are often filled out by the head race marshall of that specific race. This helps ensure that all those who set out on the Iditarod trail are qualified to be there.

In addition to completing the races and having their report cards filled out, Iditarod rookies must also provide a reference letter from someone who is familiar with the race. This is another measure to help ensure those on the trail have the necessary skills to be out there.

Why Must Mushers Qualify for the Iditarod?

The goal of qualifying races is to ensure that all mushers know how to take care of themselves and their dogs. One thousand miles is a long way to travel and the entirety of the race is off of the Alaska Road system. Mushers and their dogs must be prepared to face any challenge.

On the path to qualifying, Rookie mushers generally learn a lot both from experience and from other mushers. Once a musher has successfully completed the Iditarod, they no longer need to qualify. One successful completion of the race is considered qualification for life.

Travis used the Northern Lights 300, The Tustumena 200, and the Tiaga 300 to qualify for the 2013 Iditarod. Travis has now run the Iditarod 11 times, with a top finish of 5th place!

Sarah used the Sheep Mountain 300, The Northern Lights 300, and the Tustumena 200 to qualify for Iditarod. Sarah ran the Iditarod in 2016 and in 2019.

Rookie Iditarod Meeting

Before a musher’s Rookie Iditarod, they participate in a 2-day mandatory Rookie Meeting. Running a 1,000 mile long race is very different than running a 300 mile event. No matter how much wilderness or mushing experience you have, nothing can ever truly prepare you to race the Iditarod.

The Rookie meeting’s purpose is to help answer questions specific to the race and familiarize new mushers with the logistics. During the training, rookie mushers learn about vet care, training their dogs for Iditarod and how it differs from shorter races, and what to expect during the race. The Rookie Meeting is hosted by Iditarod and usually attended by several veteran mushers who offer value feedback to novices.

What Happens When you Finish the Iditarod?

When a musher completes his/her first Iditarod, he earns their Iditarod Belt Buckle, a one time piece of hardware that only official finishers of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race can sport. They also become members of the Iditarod Official Finishers Club. This club helps provide oversight to the race by providing valuable feedback to Iditarod’s board of directors.

Once a musher has successfully completed Iditarod, they no longer need to qualify.

Northern Lights Snow Dance

Sarah · January 7, 2015 ·

A big thank you to Travis’ sister Shani Simonds for letting us use some of her awesome photos for this blog post

Sometimes dog mushing can be a little dirty – of course that’s probably part of the fun: it makes you appreciate the little things in life: a starry evening, hot water, a warm shower, a good meal. Your days are full so consequently every detail is important because the little things do, in fact, matter.

When we have to travel to train we often stay at friends or out on the trail. Our last adventure took us to our friend Wade Marrs’ new kennel location. His kennel, Stump Jumpin Kennel, has just moved north of Willow, Alaska where he and his girlfriend have built a beautiful dry cabin. Our busy schedule and our dog chores made it difficult to escape to go to the local laundromat to take a shower. We loved every minute there and were sad to leave — but I have to admit that I was pretty excited about taking a shower. After being on the road and the trail for five days, I kind of stunk.

So when we pulled into our kennel this evening, I could not wait to unload the dogs. We happily unloaded then and brought them to their houses, completely thrilled with all the work our awesome handlers Justin and Wyatt had accomplished in our absence. When the dogs were back home, I was so relieved when I could walk upstairs to shower.

The hot water felt amazing. After days at constant -15 the instant warmth was like heaven. But my moment of peace was quickly interrupted when I heard the hurried rush of feet up the stairs. Great, I thought – something needs fixing quick. Then, the bathroom door flew open:

“Sarah! Come quick the northern lights are out.”Without thinking I hit the water off and go to grab my clothes. “No! You don’t have time. Just — HERE!” Travis says shoving a towel at me.

I wrap it around me, ring my hair out, and shove my feet into my slippers before following Travis out the door. What follows is an absolutely incredible display of Northern Lights.

The green lights twist and snake around the mountain peak in front of our house. They pulsate, growing brighter and longer then suddenly dimming and contracting. It’s like watching the sky’s heartbeat dance across the night, in between stars and the the almost-full moon, which is illuminating the mountainside.

We watch spellbound for about five minutes until the lights gradually fade away into nothingness.

“You must be freezing,” Travis says looking at me with a laugh hiding in he corners of his smile because I’m standing outside in nothing but a towel. Surprisingly it isn’t so bad – A few days at -20 below toughened me up. “Go hurry inside.”

I do a quick snow dance and then race back inside to finish my shower.

Hot water never felt so good.

Moonlight Mushing

Sarah · January 7, 2015 ·

The endless rain and warm temperatures at home in Seward were making us wonder if winter was ever going to show her face, so we piled in the dog truck and headed north. Traveling feels so natural to me that after long miserable weeks stuck in a rainy house, when I found myself in the passenger seat of the dog truck the only thing I could think was that I finally felt at home. So much of my life has been spent riding shotgun on long car trips. Before searching for dog trails and hunting down races, my poor parents carted me around New England and the entire eastern seaboard playing soccer for the Boston Renegades. I was a goalkeeper, twice playing in the national tournament for my age bracket and once winning my own bid to try out for the national team. But my dream was always dogs.

The quiet hum of the truck as we ride north relaxes me. We listen to the country station, singing along whether we know the words or not, grateful to be on the road together. We arrive late at Stump Jumpin Kennel and help Wade Marrs as he gets his last drop bags ready for the Gin Gin 200. He leaves early the next morning for the race. The first race of the season always brings excitement for dogs, mushers, and spectators. We’re sad to stay behind — not used to missing out on races but grateful for an opportunity to train.

In the morning, we get ready to gear up. Layering up is a slow process. First thermals, then fleece, then our own coats. The temperature hovers around -15 for the most part, our cheeks rosy from winters cold kisses.

The dogs are excited. We run, mostly at night, each day going further than before. Snow is so foreign to us that we forget how it dresses up the night. It shimmers beautifully in the cold glow of our headlamps. The moon, when it rises full, is so bright that we don’t need to use our headlamps to see so we shut them off and enjoy the peace of night. Our runners scratch over the icy trail and our dogs tongues hang out of their mouths. We can see each exhalation. In those quiet moments of dogs and stars and snow we forget about everything and as long as our dogs are running in front of us, the world is perfect.

It’s hard to tell who is having more fun out in the trail; us or the dogs. They thrive in the cold and even though the temperatures continued to plummet, their attitudes continued to sore. We stop occasionally to check in.

“Are you staying warm?” Travis asks.
“Yes,” I say somewhat surprised. Our runs are mostly at -15 or -20 and last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours but I never get cold. “My dogs are doing great,” I tell him.
“Switch for a bit?”
“Sure.” I say and so we swap teams for a few miles, happy to see how all the dogs have progressed.

One time we stop for cocoa only to find that the hot water we’ve brought out smells funny. “Do you think we can drink it?” Travis asks.
I take a whiff. “Eww. No.” I tell him, embarrassed that I packed a dirty thermos.
“Ya that’s definitely moldy.” He throws the hot water out and it freezes before it hits the ground into a fine powder — a cold weather magic trick. It was Probably too cold to be sitting around drinking cocoa anyways.

We keep mushing. The dogs have jackets on and at times we have to stop and check to make sure everyone is staying warm. Our smiles are big and our hearts are full. The dogs bark and jump and we, dogs and people, are all so happy.

This is it, I tell myself. These are the moments we live for.

Friend Wade Marrs’ Mushing for Turner Syndrome Awareness

Sarah · January 7, 2015 ·

2013 was a big year for our kennel. Travis ran his first Iditarod and one our good friends and sponsors, came up to ride in his sled for the ceremonial start in Anchorage as his Iditarider. It was a great experience. Travis was thrilled to meet someone who played such a crucial roll in getting us to the 2013 starting line!

Even better, however, was that G.G. generously purchased our good friend Wade Marrs’ iditarider seat too. Initially meant for G.G’s brother, when G.G.’s brother couldn’t attend the Iditarod start due to work commitments, Travis, G.G., and Wade put there heads together: Who would be the best recipient for this seat? In the end, the three of them decided to give it to one of the local hospitals. The hospital, they reseaoned, would find someone who could really use the experience!

In the end, Wade Marrs’ seat was given to Ashley Perry, an 8 year old girl with Turner’s Syndrome. I will never forget Ashley’s smile at the ceremonial start! She was so excited to be riding with Wade.

A year later, when we were up training with Wade, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Wade had invited Ashley out to his kennel to go for another ride. In the end, Wade and Ashley formed a great friendship. Here is a wonderful video by local news station KTUU on the unlikely friendship forged between the two! Check out the great video below!

This year, Wade is dedicating his race miles to Ashely and her fight against Turner’s Syndrome. We are so glad these two have formed such an amazing friendship and are so excited to see Ashley so passionate about mushing!

Follow Wade’s on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stumpjumpinkennel or check out his website: https://www.stumpjumpinkennel.com/

Learn more about Turners Syndrome: https://swww.turnersyndrome.org/

What Is The Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Sarah · January 6, 2015 ·

What Is The Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Dog sledding or mushing is one of the more interesting, albeit unique, sports to follow during the winter months. Mushing has been part of Alaskan heritage for thousands of years shaping the way man tamed the arctic. With the advent of snowmachines and bush planes, many thought the era of the sled dog was over but through events such as the Iditarod and other sled dog races, sled dogs have continued mushing on Alaskan trails.

No longer needed strictly for utilitarian purposes, sled dogs have evolved into incredible endurance athletes through carefully outlined breeding programs. Today’s racing huskies are – in general faster and leaner than their ancestors but the bond these dogs share with their musher is as deep as it’s ever been. Ultimately it is this deep-rooted connection to the dogs and to the land itself that dog sledding celebrates. While many think the sport is anachronistic, the sport provides a backdrop to highlight the remarkable achievements of dogs and the bonds we share with them. Dog mushing, whether done recreationally or at a competitive level, requires tremendous amounts of hard work and dedication.

This year our kennel has again chosen to focus on the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. While other races are important, especially as a testing ground and measuring stick for our teams, Iditarod is ultimately the most important race to us this season. Because of this, we will spend a good deal of time focusing on the Iditarod in this blog in the next few months leading up to the race.

Travis Beals Iditarod 2013 with his lead dog Boston out in front and all-stars Tamere and Zema in swing! — Travis Beals nearing the finish line of the 2013 Iditarod. Photo Courtesy of Jeff Schultz

So What Is The Iditarod Sled Dog Race

The Iditarod is a 1,000 mile long dog sled race currently run from Willow, Alaska to Nome, Alaska. The race first ran in 1973 as a way to help keep the tradition of dogsledding alive. Iditarod succeeded. Today, the Iditarod boasts an average of 70 entrants, has a loyal following of fans, and has become Alaska’s premier sporting event, boasting fans from all over the globe.

About The Dogs That Compete In Iditarod

The dogs that race the Iditarod are primarily Alaskan Huskies, although teams of Siberian Huskies also frequent the race. To learn more about these different types of sled dogs, check out our earlier post What Is A Sled Dog.

How Many Dogs Do You Start Iditarod With

Today mushers can start Iditarod with 16 dogs and almost every musher chooses to do so. Although historically, mushers used to be able to take more dogs in 1996 the Iditarod Trail Committee limited the teams to 16 dogs. Prior to that mushers could race up to 20 dogs. During the first years of Iditarod, there actually was no limit on the number of dogs a musher could drive. We think 16 is a good limit because that provides plenty of power and gives mushers a great deal of depth to work with. 16 dogs, believe it or not, can pull a truck — so imagine how much power they have when they are h

How Many Dogs Do You Finish With?

Although mushers start with 16 dogs, it is quite rare to see them finish with all 16 of their dogs. Mushers are able to drop dogs during Iditarod at any checkpoint. The dogs will then be left with vets and volunteers while their musher continues on down the trail. Dogs are dropped during a race for a plethora of reasons but the main reasons are: a team can only travel as fast as the slowest dog, the dog gets sick, the dog gets injured or the dog is a female coming into heat. We’ll talk more about dropping dogs and the reason a musher may do it in greater depth in the weeks to come.

Checkpoints

Mushers and their teams do not have to start the race with all their gear. Gear is sent out along the trail to established places, generally bush villages, called checkpoints. These resupply stations allow mushers to run a dog bred more for endurance rather than for pulling large, heavy loads. Although mushers are not required to rest in checkpoints (except during mandatory rests) many of them opt to do so. Checkpoints provide many amenities such as hot water, microwaves, and beds for the mushers that sleeping on the open trail would not. Because of this, they are often swarming with activity.

An Empty Iditarod Drop Bag waiting to be filled — An Empty Iditarod Drop Bag — headed to the checkpoint “Iditarod” — waiting to be filled

Drop Bags

We have to prepare our gear for the race weeks in advance so it can be shipped out along the trail by the Iditarod Air Force — a volunteer crew of pilots who help fly all our stuff out along the trail. Our gear is sent out in what we call drop bags. Each drop bag weighs no more than 50lbs. Mushers can send anywhere from 1-3 bags to each checkpoint.

Straw & Heet

Straw and Heet are made available to mushers in each checkpoint. Each musher generally receives 1 bale of straw to use for bedding their dogs down. Resting dogs on straw gets them up off the snow and helps keep them warm.

Heet is used as a fuel source on the trail in musher’s cookers.

Heet is used as a fuel out along the trail. Mushers use heet to melt snow and heat water for their dogs so that they can be given a warm meal along the trail. It is also carried in a mushers sled in case of emergency: mushers may need to prepare a meal along the way that they hadn’t planned or may need fire starter to help get them warm.

Mandatory Rest

Iditarod currently has 40 hours of mandatory rest built in to it. This by no means accounts for all the rest mushers must take: it simply provides a loose framework. The 40 hours of rest is broken up into 3 rests: a 24-hour layover to be taken anywhere on the trail, an 8-hour layover to be taken at any checkpoint on the Yukon river and an 8-hour layover at White Mountain, 77 miles from the finish line in Nome.

It is the structure of the rest that ultimately makes Iditarod such an interesting event when compared to other dog sled races. Because so little of the rest a dog team will end up taking in Iditarod is structured in “mandatory hours,” how and where rest is taken on the trail is not just part of an Iditarod strategy, it is the strategy.

While there are people who would prefer to see more rest built in to the race, we ultimately think that 40 hours is sufficient. Mushers know how to run their teams. If more mandatory layovers were added, rather than encourage rest it would encourage mushers to push their dogs harder until that next mandatory resting point. By giving mushers more flexibility in structuring their rest, Iditarod allows mushers to cater to the athletic style of the team.

Straw is great bedding for sled dogs — Travis Beals’ Dog Team Resting on Straw during the 2013 Copper Basin 300

Iditarod and the Two Race Routes

The Iditarod originally had only one race route, what is now the northern route, but in 1977 a decision was made by the race committee to establish a second route, now the southern route. The two routes only change the middle portion of the race, about 300 miles worth of trail. The northern route is now run during the even numbered years and the southern route is run on odd years. The decision for alternating routes helped include more bush villages and also helped eliminate the stress on villages by making it any every-other year occurrence. Preparing for the race, for all involved, takes a tremendous work and doing this helped relieve a great deal of stress on smaller interior villages

The Northern Route

The Iditarod Northern Route is run during even numbered years. It is widely considered by mushers to be the easier of the two routes because as mushers travel up the Yukon River they primarily have the wind at their backs. Additionally, the Northern Route travels through several bush villages: the trail is well maintained throughout the year and so by the time Iditarod comes around there is a nice base.

The Southern Route

Run only on odd-years, the Southern route is generally considered by mushers to be the more difficult of the two routes. The Southern Route goes through many “ghost villages,” such as the Iditarod Checkpoint, where the Iditarod Trail Committee has to send volunteers before the start of the race and put in these remote checkpoints.

Key Difference Between Northern & Southern routes

Because of the more remote nature of the Southern route, teams generally have to deal with tougher trail conditions. Unlike the more populated Northern Route, the Southern Route is not as maintained by local villages. Because of this, the first dog teams across it can (and often do) have a more difficult time and record slower speeds than teams who travel it later on in the race. This is due to the fact that the Souther Route trail does not have a good base. Put better, would you rather walk on a winter trail that people walked down all year (Northern Route) or on a trail that only one or two people have travelled over (Southern Route)?

While this is, perhaps, an over simplification it does illustrate one of the main difference between the Northern and the Southern routes. This also plays heavily into how mushers plan their 24-hour layover: many teams may choose to rest early so that other teams can break trail. After several teams have travelled the trail, cool temperatures will “harden” the trail, allowing faster travel times to be posted later on in the trace.

Another key difference between the two routes is the wind. Mushers generally say that on the Southern Route teams have to drive into the wind whereas on the Northern route the wind is at their back, helping to propel the teams along

Why You Should Follow Iditarod

Iditarod is one of the most interesting sporting events to follow along. The race showcases the bond between humans and dogs and tests the strength of that over one thousand miles. Mother nature always makes things interesting!

. There are so many variables as to what makes an individual musher and their team successful on any given year that the race generates lots of excitement. Following the race is fun due to live GPS tracking, video updates, as well as informative updates by families of the mushers. It is a sport that cherishes its fans and welcomes lots of interaction. Iditarod is a fun sport to follow. We hope you follow us in 2015!